


Flirting with Disaster

by necromancy_enthusiast



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Caretaking, Flirting, Gen, Multi, a very slight canon divergence but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 04:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8272439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necromancy_enthusiast/pseuds/necromancy_enthusiast
Summary: Mercury and Emerald are set against Team CFVY by Cinder. They split up the day before the fight to gather intel on their opponents, and despite being on the verge of giving up, Mercury finds out something very interesting about Yatsuhashi.





	

_‘I’m sending you two up against Team CFVY, so get out there and do what you do best. And remember, failure is not an option.’_

Cinder’s words reverberated through Mercury’s mind as he sat at one of the tables in the makeshift food court that was set up to service this year’s Vytal Festival, appearing as though he were engrossed in the novel he held in his hands. He and Emerald had agreed to split up as necessary and watch the two members of Team CFVY they would be fighting the next day, Coco and Yatsuhashi. Emerald would tail Coco, Mercury would watch Yatsuhashi, and then at the end of the day they would meet up again and share their findings to craft a strategy.

Mercury already remembered from watching CFVY’s first fight that Yatsuhashi and Coco were both slow, heavy hitters. Their blows hurt, but as long as you stayed out of their immediate range, they would be easy to run circles around and overwhelm (quite literally in Mercury’s case). He could see why Cinder had set them to be his and Emerald’s opponents. If CFVY had gotten that Fox guy out, or maybe even the rabbit girl (Mercury had a feeling about her, like she was more than meets the eye, and he knew from experience that these feelings of his were usually right), perhaps it would have been a riskier decision. Still, Mercury and Emerald liked to keep fights quick, efficient, and simple, so they made a habit of gathering intel on their opponents whenever possible.

But Mercury had to admit, he was getting a bit frustrated watching Yatsuhashi. Sure, he was big, and the bigger they are, the harder they fall, but he was also quiet, cautious, he didn’t charge in head first like so many of his type. He was also rather introverted and largely kept to himself, and currently he was sitting at another of the food court tables, polishing his greatsword. Mercury had sat near him, in just the right position as to where Mercury could see Yatsuhashi perfectly but far enough so that he would only register in Yatsuhashi’s peripheral vision, and close enough for Mercury to clearly make out anything he might say. Still, Yatsuhashi sat in silence, seemingly lost in thought as performed the repetitive task.

But Mercury knew there had to be _something_ he could take advantage of, an old wound that hadn’t healed quite right, some insecurity hidden deep in Yatsuhashi’s psyche, perhaps even a handicap that was usually well hidden, much like Mercury’s own. He was especially good at finding those. But alas, as the day had dragged on and sunset approached, and Mercury watched Yatsuhashi from the corner of his eye, he was beginning to doubt whether there was any sort of weakness he could ascertain just from observing him for a day or so.

Just as the thought crossed Mercury’s mind, he noticed two girls wearing Haven Academy uniforms approaching Yatsuhashi.

“Um…You’re Yatsuhashi Daichi, right?” one of them asked shyly.

“Yes, can I help you?” Yatsuhashi answered politely.

“Well…We…” said the same girl as before.

“Introduce yourself, Blanca.” Said the second girl encouragingly.

“I’m Blanca…” the first girl said.

“And I’m Ebony! We’re twins! Fraternal, if you couldn’t tell.” Ebony added.

“We…We wanted to say…” Blanca said, but trailed off, looking to Ebony to fill in for her.

“You’re so cool!” spoke Ebony as she picked up on Blanca’s cue. “We watched your first fight, and you were amazing! You’re so strong, Yatsuhashi.”

“Oh…I…” Yatsuhashi said uncertainly.

_‘Oh?’_ Mercury thought, his interest piqued.

“Yeah…We’ll definitely be cheering you on in your next match.” Said Blanca.

“Wait, what if he fights someone from Haven?” asked Ebony.

“Um…Well…”

“Well, I’LL be cheering you on no matter what. There isn’t a single boy at Haven that’s half as strong or handsome as you.”

“I…Um…” Yatsuhashi said, and it was at this moment that Mercury allowed himself a small glance directed straight at Yatsuhashi. He was blushing rather noticeably, and seemed flattered to the point that he was at a loss for words.

_‘Well THIS is interesting.’_ Mercury thought as he turned his gaze back to his book, flipping the page soon after.

“I will too…You seem so kind and strong, Yatsuhashi…” said Blanca.

“I don’t know what to say…” Yatsuhashi said, smiling sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh no! We made him uncomfortable!” said the Blanca in a panicked tone. “I’m sorry, we’ll go away if that’s what you want!” she said.

“Wow wow wow, I’m not going anywhere.” Countered Ebony.

“No I don’t mind, I’m just…Flattered.” Yatsuhashi admitted. “Thank you…It means a lot to me, to know that I have fans cheering me on.”

“Strong, handsome, polite, AND humble! Who wouldn’t swoon over you?” Ebony said, nudging her twin with her elbow. “Right, Blanca?”

“EBONY!” Blanca squeaked, her blush now matching Yatsuhashi’s in intensity.

“I’m…Honored, really, but I uh…I’m already in a relationship.” Stuttered Yatsuhashi.

“Awww, that’s a shame for us, I suppose. But lucky for them, whoever they are.” Ebony remarked.

“Ebony, please!...”

“Regardless, could you do us a favor, Yatsu? Do you mind if I call you that, Yatsu? Anyway, could you maybe, I don’t know, flex for us?” Ebony inquired.

“I’m dead. I’m not here right now. Please let the ground open up beneath me and swallow me whole.” Blanca muttered. Yatsuhashi paused, as though in thought.

“…Ok.” He said.

“Really? Wow, I was mostly joking, but if you’re up for it, I’m not gonna turn up a front-row seat to the gun show.” Ebony said. Blanca, meanwhile, remained silent, obviously anxious but watching intently. After standing, Yatsuhashi flexed his arms for them, smiling shyly. Ebony whistled in appreciation.

“Dang…Very nice.” Ebony remarked, and Blanca looked like she was about to pass out. “Wouldn’t you say so, Blanca?...”

“I…Well…” Blanca managed to choke out. “…Yes.” She finally said before taking her twin’s arm and dragging her away.

“Well, looks like that’s all Blanca can handle for now, but we’ll probably see you later! Stay beautiful!” Ebony called as she was hoisted away by Blanca, waving her arm.

At this point, Mercury allowed himself one more glance at Yatsuhashi, who was somehow even more flustered that before. Then, Mercury stood, carrying his book under his arm as he walked away, a smug grin plastered to his face.

 

* * *

 

“So, how’d recon go today?” Emerald asked as Mercury returned to their room some time later.

“Oh, just fine. I think I might have just hit the jackpot, how about you?” Mercury asked affably. He sat down on his bed and leaned in towards Emerald conspiratorially, who sat cross-legged on her bed opposite of Mercury’s.

“I barely got anything we didn’t already know. The girl’s stubborn, a bit prideful…But she’s protective of her teammates. I wouldn’t be surprised if she happened to leave herself open in the heat of the moment while one of her precious friends was in trouble.” Emerald conceded.

“What do you think of that Yatsuhashi guy, really?” Mercury said slyly, grinning like a cat that had a mouse cornered.

“What do I think of him? I dunno…He’s quiet, pretty strong.”

“No, no…I mean…What do you THINK of him? On a scale of 1-10?” Mercury hinted.

“Mercury…Don’t tell me you spent the whole day scoping out a guy like THAT.” Emerald said impatiently.

“Aw Em, you know me better than that. The mission always comes first. Anyway, I just happened to discover that our friend just so happens to be a bit of a romantic.” Mercury said.

“And?...”

“AND, put simply, he can’t handle people flirting with him. He pretty much shuts down.” Mercury finally said plainly. “It’s actually kind of funny. I wonder what would happen if someone were to take advantage of this little tidbit…Hm…”

“Gee…I guess we’ll have to find out.” Emerald said.

“Great minds think alike, Emerald. So, now that we have the general agenda out of the way, let’s get to the details.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey…Love the outfit, kid.” Coco said to Emerald as they stood opposite each other in the arena the next day.

“Thanks, I’ll try not to get blood on it.” Emerald said, stretching in preparation.

“I can’t promise you’ll leave without a scratch…” Yatsuhashi said.

“My, you certainly are a confident one.” Mercury chimed in. “I’ve got to admit; I’ve always found that kind of confidence attractive.” At this, Yatsuhashi’s face froze in surprise, looking at Mercury in confusion. Mercury grinned. Regardless of whether Yatsuhashi was into guys or not, his plan seemed to be working.

“He IS pretty cute.” Emerald agreed. Yatsuhashi glanced back to Emerald, twice as perturbed as before. Coco raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what her opponents were playing at. “I’ve gotta admit Merc, if nothing else, you’ve got good taste.”

“I…Don’t think this conversation is appropriate right now…” Yatsuhashi managed to say, putting forth an admirable effort at keeping his composure.

“Ah come on big guy, we’re just having a little fun. We’re going to be at each other’s throats in just a minute, so we might as well chat a little first, right?” Mercury replied.

“Hey, cut it out.” Coco said. “Leave him alone.”

“What’s the matter? Afraid we’ll steal him away? I don’t blame you, frankly.” Emerald replied, smiling at Yatsuhashi.

“Hey big guy, go easy on us, will ya? It’s obvious we’re both a bit distracted here…” Mercury added.

At this point, Yatsuhashi was blushing profusely, still trying his best to hold onto a calm façade, but failing miserably.

In the stands some ways away, Velvet watched the four intently. At first, she noticed how Yatsuhashi had gone rigid, which he had a habit of doing when he was nervous or flustered, and then she looked to the stadium screens that offered a closer shot of the four. There was no audio, but to Velvet, what was transpiring between them was obvious.

“Oh no…” Velvet said.

“What is it?” Fox asked from beside her. Being blind, Fox had no way of telling what was going on from his position.

“Well uh, it looks like they’re…Flirting with Yatsu.” Velvet narrated. “He’s pretty red.” Fox took in the information quietly, contemplating silently for a moment before he spoke.

“Cheap trick...” Fox said disdainfully.

“…I guess we’ll just have to see how it plays out.” Velvet answered, sighing heavily.

Back in the arena, the fight was about to begin, and Yatsuhashi was as tense as a bridge about to break under its own weight.

“Yatsu…It’s alright.” Coco said quietly. “They’re trying to get to you, but you’re better than that. They’re just afraid that we’ll kick their asses straight across the arena, so they’re using cheap games to get at us. Just keep your eyes on the prize, and we’ll have this in the bag.”

“You're right...Eyes on the prize.” Yatsuhashi replied, only sounding somewhat reassured.

“3…2…1…Begin!” Port called over the intercom.

“I just don’t think this is a fair fight, Em…” Mercury said as he and his teammate slowly backed into the tall grass of the savanna sector.

“You’re not the only one, Merc…” Emerald agreed just before they vanished.

 

* * *

 

“I’m sorry, Coco…” Yatsuhashi said as he sat on his bed in Team CFVY’s dorm room, Fox sitting next to him so he could tend to his wounds.

“It’s ok, Yatsu…We probably would have gotten our asses handed to us anyway.” Coco said as she sat on her own bed, Velvet likewise tending to her wounds. “Ow, ow, ow!” Coco exclaimed as Velvet applied antiseptic to the large laceration on her back.

“Sorry…” Velvet said quietly.

“But I still can’t believe it…They never let up you! That was dirty…” Coco said. “In real combat situations you have to use whatever you can to get the upper-hand, but this is a tournament! Pulling crap like that is so…Ugh!”

“I don’t like those two.” Fox said, wrapping gauze around Yatsuhashi’s upper arm.

“Tell me about it.” Coco agreed.

“What do you mean exactly, Fox?” Velvet asked.

“Coco said it seemed like they weren’t pulling punches…Not very sportsmanlike.” Fox explained.

“AND they flirted with Yatsu to catch him off guard…” Velvet chimed in.

“And…I just…Can’t get that thing I said earlier off my mind. I KNOW I saw Yatsu in the forest...” Coco almost muttered.

“Coco, there’s no way. Everyone else saw him on the opposite end of the arena when he got knocked out.” Velvet said.

“I know, I know, but…I heard his voice. I saw him, and he talked to me. He called my name.” Coco insisted.

“I mean, you were feeling nervous because you couldn’t see that Emerald girl, right? Maybe you were just…Seeing things. Things that weren’t there.” Velvet replied.

“But…It felt so real…Yatsu, are you SURE you didn’t just, I don’t know, get amnesia from getting kicked in the head by that guy?” Coco asked, turning to look at him.

“I got blasted by a geyser, and then he knocked me out.” Yatsuhashi said, rubbing the side of his head in an attempt to ease the throbbing pain. “Don’t think I’ve ever been kicked that hard…”

“I don’t know…Maybe I’m going crazy, but I still know that I saw him.” Coco said dejectedly.

“How would they even know Yatsuhashi is affected like that?” Fox said after a long silence.

“Lucky guess?” Coco said, shrugging her shoulders.

“…I don’t think so.” Fox replied. “It’s almost like they knew…Like they had planned the whole thing out.”

“But how could they do that? The matchups are random…” Velvet asked. At this, Fox shrugged. “Well…There’s nothing we can do now, I suppose.” Velvet said. “But hey, we made it to the second round! You two really gave it your all. And Yatsu…Please don’t blame yourself. I know none of us do.”

“I still think it’s pretty cute, how easily flustered you get.” Fox said, facing Yatsuhashi directly. Velvet and Coco nodded in agreement.

“I…” Yatsuhashi replied weakly. Slowly, Fox moved his hand to touch Yatsuhashi’s face. Seeing how Fox’s hands practically doubled as makeshift eyes, his teammates had gotten used to him being a bit touchy, it was how he ascertained certain information he would otherwise be bereft of.

“…You’re blushing.” Fox said, smiling slightly.

“Aw, Yatsu, you’re such a dear.” Velvet said, and Coco smirked.

“That’s our Yatsu. Big and tough as hell, but still a huge softie. Wouldn’t have him any other way.” She said. Yatsuhashi smiled softly, glad to have the support of his teammates through thick and thin.

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea around the time when the episode where Mercury and Emerald fight Yatsu and Coco first aired, but didn't really think to put it in the form of fanfiction until recently. And I know that hunters have the whole accelerated healing aura going for them, and the Vytal Festival had medical staff that would have attended to injured participants, but honestly I just wanted Yatsu and Coco being taken care of by their teammates. Exactly who Yatsuhashi is dating is meant to be open-ended, but I also ship Team CFVY as a polyship, so uh, my bias snuck in towards the end.
> 
> Also, Blanca and Ebony were just supposed to be nameless throwaway characters at first, but now I'm tempted to develop them more at some point.


End file.
